Lloyd Carr confirmed Tuesday what has been pretty much suspected for some time – fullback Sean Sanderson will not be rejoining the team. Sanderson, who did not play in 2003 due for unspecified disciplinary reasons, was a key run blocker in 2002, but had trouble staying in football shape.

“I had some things I asked Sean to do, and he did not fulfill those,” said Carr. “I’m not sure … I haven’t had the opportunity to visit with him, but that’s his status.”

Carr touched on a number of other topics Tuesday night; here's the recap.

On whether Mike DeBord will have final say on special teams decisions:

"I’ve said this often. Any time you have a coordinator, whether it’s recruiting, special teams, offense, defense, it’s still a team effort, so the input Mike will take all of our film and break it down, like we do every other phase of the game. We’ll study some other people, we’ll look at some of the things other people did against us, or people across the country who had great success with certain things and we’ll try to incorporate them.

“But I have high regard for Mike. Mike was always from the time he came to Michigan involved in our special teams, but he’ll certainly rely on guys on our staff who have coached certain parts of special teams to contribute."

On how he counsels players when they are deciding whether or not to come back:

“I think it begins with the questions they ask. I always start with the premise that this is their decision, and they come to college with certain goals. I always take into consideration where they are. Some guys have to decide, for example, like David Baas did, on whether or not to come back for a fifth year. Of course, a guy who is coming back for a fifth year is in most cases closer to his degree, so that factors in.

“A guy leaving after three years, certainly he’s in a different status in his progress towards his degree. I answer questions based on what I’m asked. Sometimes a guy wants to know what I think, and when he wants to know, I tell him. There are a lot of different types of questions I get, and I always try to put myself in a position where I answer a question for them in a way I would answer the question if that were my son asking it.

“Sometimes – for example, I told Charles Woodson he was ready. There was no question with the money he was able and it was certain he was going to make, that was very obvious. Basically, I’m there to answer questions they might have. I’m not there to try to talk them into staying, because I think it’s very important that if they are going to make a decision to stay at Michigan, that they’re staying for the right reasons. That’s always part of the conversation in any case.”

On whether he was pleasantly surprised by any of the seniors' decisons to return:

“When I look at each of their circumstances, all I will say in that regard is I think each of them made a very good decision, and that’s not to take into consideration Michigan football. When I look at what they have to gain by staying, I think from their own personal standpoint, I think all of them made good decisions.”

On the potential running back situation in 2004:

“We had some guys who played some this year, David Underwood, Pierre Rembert, Tim Bracken, Jerome Jackson. All of those guys had some opportunities in there.

“But I also know we have some people who will come in who will be able to compete. We’ll have to try to find out some answers to some questions this spring, as we get into winter conditioning and spring practice. But that puzzle will not be put together until we get through training camp and see what we have. I do think that where we are right now based on recruiting, there will be some great competition.”

On the quarterback situation next season:

“One of the things I’m excited about watching is the competition at quarterback. There again, there will be some things go on we’ll have to find out about even in the fall. But I think we’ve got a situation there where it’s going to be fun to watch, and I’m excited about watching that.”

On whether they’ve addressed some of the issues from the Rose Bowl loss, or whether they’ll wait until spring:

“We’ve watched that film individually, we’ve critiqued it, and certainly we know some things that happened. There have been some discussions that have not been done as far as a full staff goes, but when we come back after recruiting is over, we’ll have further discussions.

“Certainly in a bowl game there are things people you are going to play in the fall … there will be some things we have to address and correct just like we would any other game. Any time you come out of a game where there are things that either you didn’t do well or give you problems, you have to address those because your opponents are going to be looking at that same film.”

On Adam Finley:

“He indicated a long time ago he was going to come back for a fifth year. In the last two games I think Adam was outstanding, and I think we’re in great shape there. I think Adam did a wonderful job in those games.”

On Garrett Rivas:

“I think Garrett, for a true freshman, was a guy who came in and handled the pressure extremely well. The kick he made there at Minnesota … I don’t think the pressure gets greater than that. I think he did a very good job.”

On the debate over No. 1 following the season:

“I think the debate is great for college football. I think there are a lot of people that look at it a little bit differently, but I’ve always believed the worst case scenario is for college football to head into a playoff system. I think the bowls are what makes college football special, and without lengthening the season – this season is extremely long – and regardless of what anybody wants to say, academics are still the major issue, the major reason we have college football. It gives a lot of people opportunities to get an education at great schools that maybe wouldn’t have an opportunity to do so without it.

“To lengthen the season, in my judgment, would just be a terrible mistake. I’m encouraged at the position of the presidents, where the vast majority seem to be against a playoff.

“As far as the season that just concluded, my own feeling is that the BCS was never a system without the possibility of some flaws. What I think is very positive, I look at the AP vote as a fail safe, because we were able, in my judgment, to get it right. When Southern Cal ended the season in both the coaches and AP poll No. 1, then certainly they deserved the opportunity to play for the national championship.

“Because the system did not allow them to play in it, the AP allowed us to come out of it by honoring two teams that were very deserving. I see nothing wrong with that; it’s been the history going back.”

On whether he’s in favor of a 12th Big Ten team:

“I think it has to be the right school, and that’s a decision that goes beyond athletics. The presidents are going to make that decision based on a lot of reasons outside of athletics, although athletics certainly would be part of it.

“I’m not in a position to impact that decision. That’s a decision for the presidents, and I’m sure there are a great number of schools that would love to come into this conference. At some point, I think it’s inevitable. Whether it’s done quickly, I don’t know, but I think at some point it’s going to happen.”

On whether the extra conference championship game is a good thing:

“I think that is an issue. The conference championship games are an issue because as the BCS is constituted through the conclusion of this current contract, it’s possible in the SEC and the Big 12 to have somebody represent those schools who aren’t conference champions. Personally, I wish we were in a position to get into the championship game, you should be a conference champion.

“However, you do have the Big Ten, who does not have a conference championship game, as well as the ACC … there is a great debate about whether it would be fair to impose the idea of having to be a conference champion to get into a BCS game. Then you have some conferences who wouldn’t … that’s a debate that is ongoing.

“I don’t know how you rectify that unless every conference has a championship game. Personally, I know a lot of coaches out there who would prefer not to have a conference championship game, because it does add to the season for the players.

“I go back to this – the greatest thing about Big Ten football right now is we’re starting earlier than we ever have, but our players have an opportunity to go home for Thanksgiving. I think it would be very difficult if we had a 12th team and a championship game to do that. The truth is, conference championship games, the major reason is revenue. It’s a complex issue, and I don’t have the answers.”

On the agenda for his players in terms of conditioning, etc.:

“They’ve had some time off, but they’ll get started here very soon.”

On whether it will be difficult for Mike DeBord to come back after having been a head coach:

“I think that’s something Mike will be able to answer at some point, but I can tell you in my conversation with him, he’s really excited about coming back. Mike is a guy that loves the Xs and the Os, that part of it, and certainly as a head coach, some of your time in those areas is reduced.

“We’ve had that happen here. Elliot Uzelac comes to mind, and there probably are others, but I think that’s something he’s excited about.”

On whether he’s thought about how long he might coach:

“I certainly will not be here another 20 years. This is what I have said, and this is all I’m going to say. In my own outlook and my own beliefs, what it takes to do the job I would like to be able to do is it takes a great passion and it takes good health. As long as I’m blessed with the passion for this game, for this job, for this program, for this university, and as long as my health allows me to approach that with the passion I think is necessary, I’m going to coach. That’s all I can say, because that’s what I believe.”

On Jacob Stewart’s status:

“Jacob played in the Rose Bowl, but I think the second kickoff he went down on, he pulled that hamstring again. It’s been an ongoing problem. We thought it was healed. But my experience in those injuries is it takes a lot of rest. He had a lot of rest and he felt good, and yet it was a problem. We’re just going to have to see how he responds here in the next couple of months.”

On the injury situation this year:

“It’s interesting – a year ago we had five linebackers who had season ending injuries; this year, David Harris was hurt early and missed the rest of the season, but with that exception, we didn’t have anybody who missed the season. That’s the way you’d like it to be every year. But we had a wonderful year from an injury standpoint.”